Show Off Thread

We did a photoshoot with our collection. Skylar wanted to pose them by era... So we did a lot of individuals.. Plus I like a group shot just to brag about our collection ;)

How to find the best deals on dolls

Of course you should know your stuff and there are a few places on this blog to learn what you need to know. Skylar's first American Girl doll we didn't have much to spend so I put an ad on Craigslist and got a response someone was selling a doll for $60. Even though I was obsessed with American Girl as a child this was a new journey for us. Her second doll I was scouring Ebay and I was messaging people asking if it was a mini doll or a full sized one... now I know the obvious differences. My next thing I did I mistakenly bid on what I thought was Felicity but it was actually Felicity's Christmas dress (and it wasn't inexpensive either). I realized my mistake and I was lucky enough to have an understanding Ebay seller that let me retract my bid. I finally found one locally that was beautiful. Then I found my first Facebook group catering toward AG fans.. At the time there weren't many... maybe this was a first. I quickly jumped right in and learned all that I know now about American Girl.
   Let me tell you where I found my best deals...

We had some stuff over at a storage unit and every year the storage unit would have a yard sale. We of course wanted to get some stuff cleaned out of our storage unit so we had set up tables and had stuff for sale and I was manning it all. So my husband and daughter walked around to the other units and found the beautiful JLY on the left for $20 in full meet with a bunch of AG pleasant company items for $25! Of course that means I didn't make anything selling stuff out of our unit because I turned around and spent it on Ms Charlie as my daughter named her. She has a little bit of silver eye but we don't fix silver eye as long as its not horrible (if we wanted to its a free fix at the Doll Hospital). I keep a pretty close eye on Craigslist. I downloaded an app called CSmart for Craigslist and I get notifications on my phone and by email. We live pretty close to some major cities (Chattanooga, Nashville, Birmingham, and I have family in Georgia) so I make sure I monitor those places as well. Well one time I saw an ad for a "Kit" in Chattanooga and to meet at the mall. "Kit" was $30 on the ad. So I got my best friend to ride shot gun.. I forgot about the time difference between Chattanooga and where I live so there was some confusion there. Then once we got to the mall where we were supposed to meet she asked for $40... I saw it wasn't Kit at all it was Nellie. I was happy and went home :) I have my Craigslist notifications for individuals selling doll items as well as garage sales/yard sales that may have some American Girl items at them. Facebook yard sale pages are another great place to find individuals or yard sales. I am not sure where I heard about this yard sale but I always try to be first or get there as soon as possible. My husband and I went to a yard sale and I saw a doll for under $50.. I thought maybe? Possibly? Could it be Gwen? Gwen is pretty hard to find because her and her look a like look so much alike. So I messaged my favorite AG guru and she thought it was Gwen too! I already had gotten Gwen's meet in a AG lot I had bought so that was an amazing deal.

I saw another ad on Craigslist or Facebook for a yard sale and the lady said she didn't know anything about American Girl.. I was stressing because I was supposed to go out of town that weekend. I asked her if she needed help figuring out what was what and how to price it.. She she let me come over early and help her out which I did my best... I walked out of there with Mia, Nicki, and Patriot for $60! 

I love to go to Yard Sales... my children not so much. When I can convince them to drive around we go... Or Skylar babysits her little brother LOL.. I ended up going to a Garage sale of an elderly lady and she had mostly tchotchkes, figurines, old fancy plates etc... but over in the corner we spotted an American Girl box.. It was Pleasant Company Samantha MINT for $60.. 

I begged my husband to go to an Estate Sale where they had Samantha, Molly, and Felicity almost perfectly for $60.. I chose to get Felicity because the original one I had bought my daughter was starting to look rough. I also already had Samantha and Molly. My husband talked me into getting Felicity. 

I have found a doll at the Consignment sale in which I volunteer and she had some markings sure... but all I did was clean her up.. I think she may have been $40.. well worth it after I brushed her teeth! (yes I did!).. I also have found a pretty nice doll at a thrift store for $25.. You just have to go out and find these deals! 

Other places to look for great deals on dolls? Poshmark (an app), Mercari?.. so I have heard its the Canadian version of Craigslist, Ebay, Craigslist as I have said, Local Facebook yard sale pages, consignment stores, thrift stores, seasonal sales, rummage sales and other places.. 

Here are some great links... http://www.searchtempest.com/     http://www.searchalljunk.com/   http://www.shopthesalvationarmy.org/

There is a listing of Facebook Groups for American Girl on this blog... here

There are many areas that have local American Girl groups on Facebook... if there isn't one why don't you start one? 

How I display my dolls

I got Rebecca this month... So I thought I would update my picture (sorry its poorly). 

These are my GOTY girls and Historicals. 

I buy these shelves at Walmart.com or get similar shelves at thrift stores, consignment sales, and yard sales. (here's a link to the walmart shelves https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crates-and-Pallet-Medium-Wood-Shelf/33356944) 

Top Shelf Lindsey, Mia, Gwen, Nicki, McKenna, Saige, Isabelle, Grace,  and Lea (Girl of the Year) Camille the Wellie Wisher on the end.

Second shelf is Samantha, Nellie, Emily, Molly, Ivy, Caroline, Marie Grace, and Cecile is hiding behind Rebecca.

Bottom is Kit, Ruthie, Felicity, Josefina, Kaya, Addy, and Rebecca... on the side are two Gotz dolls.

Those are my historical girls. My son's birthday and back to school are coming up as soon as I get past that I will order another shelf and stands and update my picture. Maybe try to do something with all the girls hair LOL .

My Just Like You, Logan, and my custom dolls.

Underneath them is my clothing storage. (to see how I store my clothes here * (http://agdollobsession.blogspot.com/2016/09/update-on-clothing-storage.html)

I need a better picture of my shelf that my bitty's on. The top shelf is my regular books, second shelf is the other books, then the bottom shelf is the magazines, catalogs and bigger publications, puzzles, games etc.

On the top shelf I have my other dolls (Play wonder, Our Generation, Journey Girl, and Magic Attic)

Second shelf is the my AG Megablox and  then Felicity, Penny and Patriot

 

Dolls for Dolls

Dear American Girl...
   Hello Mattel. I would like to address an issue. Let's keep with the Pleasant Company ideal to educate children with historical stories of girls they could relate to in history and that some of their obstacles are still similar to many modern day. What better history lesson is providing our historical and even possibly the modern dolls with their own dolls. It could be a teaching lessons of what toys were like during that time period. I did some searching and I know several of the historical dolls have their own dolls. Some do not.

Josefina's Doll

Kits Dolls

Kirsten's Doll

Molly's Doll

Elizabeth's Doll

Kaya's Doll

Addy's Doll

Nellie's Doll 

Felicity's Doll

Samantha's doll

and Julie's toy.. I think Mattel really missed the mark on giving Julie a Barbie styling head. Yes I am sure the styling heads were popular then I even remember them in the 80's and beyond. Being that Mattel owns American Girl and Barbie couldn't they recreate the popular Barbie of the time period even on a limited edition run? Where is Rebecca's Kewpie doll? Whom should have had their own toy?

A popular Barbie from the 70's

*American Girl pictures courtesy of American Girl Wikia page http://americangirl.wikia.com/

Representing the Market

In our house, we are obviously big fans of American Girl. I grew up reading all the books I could when I was a child then when Skylar was 9 she got into American Girl herself. I think overall American Girl sends an empowering message to all age groups and all types of girls. I am however disappointed in Mattel what I call whitewashing the dolls. The original "Addy" doll made by Pleasant Company had darker skin, a wider nose and overall looked different. They have since changed her and it was disappointing. I had no interest in the new Addy and bought me an older Pleasant Company one second hand. In our house, we have many different types of dolls and shades and colors...I remember when Skylar was 4 or so we went to a yard sale and she just HAD to have this baby doll I am not sure what brand the doll was but it was naked and had an all cloth body except the bottom was exposed and it was a dark-skinned doll. I thought it was cute. My children have had friends from all over the world and they don't see color as an issue. Maybe that is an issue to some but it isn't to us. I raise my children to respect their neighbors as if they were mirror images of themselves. In our AG family, we have Addy, Cecile, Kaya, a Hispanic doll named Mariana, Josefina, Ivy, and we will probably eventually own the newest doll from American Girl later this year named Gabriela.
  I have held my opinions I have seen on the Facebook groups, Youtube videos, and other blogs about American Girl only caring about making white dolls. Addy has been around since I was a child and yes she was a loner for awhile. But I understand marketing too. I just recently watched a Youtube video about darker skinned dolls on the market here...  I see it all the time where someone wants to buy their child a doll that looks like their child. I guess I never really understood that personally. As my daughter has always gravitated to a variety of dolls and face it no child ever looks like Barbie, No adult has either except Mariah Carey and maybe Dolly Parton LOL. But I have come into issues with this myself when I gifted a friends daughter a dark skinned Baby Alive her daughter is mixed and the parents were too happy with me that I chose to gift her a dark-skinned doll. Also, there isn't a doll in American Girl that looks like my daughter, so there isn't an American Girl with brown eyes and dirty blonde hair like my beautiful daughter with light skin either so I had to have one custom made (only because I had made my son one that looked like him). I don't mind their being dolls with wider cute noses (hell I had a wide nose, big lips, and big ears as a child). I don't mind dolls with different hair types that are what makes the world great why can't our doll world replicate the outside world. My daughter has friends of all types why shouldn't her doll have friends of all types? I have long since kept my mouth shut about my distaste that American Girl changed Addy's features. Why do they need to do this? Why did they need to make her skin tone lighter? Do they just seriously want to be so lazy that they take one mold and dye one darker than the other and there is no other difference between the lighter skinned and darker skinned dolls? As if in the real world people don't carry different features like the "Jewish" nose, or the kinkier hair from the Middle Eastern region? The Fine black hair from the Asian countries? We all have different features no matter what race or where we originate from? Watching Shark Tank, a mother and father came into an issue with their child who thought she had to have yellow hair and light skin to be beautiful so the mother sought out a doll that looked like her daughter. YES, I thought a darker skinned family is searching for a doll with unique features like their daughter. I thought I would see something similar to my favorite Addy doll. I loved their pitch and they got a Shark yay! But upon closer look these dolls still kinda look white-washed to me... Sure they have fuller lips but still don't look that much different than the current dolls on the market. For example straight hair that has been curled into the iconic Shirley Temple ringlets with no texture and no uniqueness about it. You can throw that wig on any doll- light skinned or not... You could probably use the lighter skinned mold and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. So yes I am disappointed at the market and the diversity of dolls for all little girls.  Oh and if you're interested in seeing the Naturally Perfect Doll line it's here http://naturally-perfect-dolls.myshopify.com/

 

 

 

Why are American Girl dolls so expensive?

I am sure most of my friends have already decided that I am crazy for letting Skylar have American Girl.

I was once told by a person who was my friend that she would never spend that much for an American Girl, then she turned around and bought the Girl of the Year from American Girl. She said 1 doll is all they need. 

Sure, I don't even think dolls are a need per say. Who needs that kind of negativity in their life? LOL However in my family we have almost 40 American Girl brand dolls not including the mini dolls. We have 9 Girl of the Year dolls. We have 15 historical (two of Samantha), 4 custom dolls, 4 Bitty Twins, 7 Just Like You/My American Girl/ Truly Me dolls. 2 Our Generation that have never been played with. and 2 Play Wonder 18-inch doll, 1 Magic Attic doll. So, my friends or may think that is excessive... Especially when they see the retail price tag for $115-$120. The thing is I rarely pay retail for my dolls. I can't afford to. I do have limits to my collection. My rules are 1) If we can't take care of them then we don't get anymore. 2) We have certain items out of their collections we want to collect (Dolls, Meet Outfit, Birthday Outfit, their toy doll, and their Holiday dress). 3) I don't go buy a doll just because they just released it but after the Kanani craze I do try to get all the dolls before they retire so I don't have to spend over retail for that certain doll. Look at the secondary market prices for Kanani and McKenna dolls it is mind blowing. We do not own a Kanani because we got on to the AG scene after Kanani was archived. I haven't yet found a deal on her when I have the money to afford her. I haven't been lucky enough to score on that one but I have made several really good scores which I am very proud about not to sound braggy.. 

Anyways I digress.  So, if you take a big box store doll, let’s say Our Generation sold at Target and put her next to an American Girl- even an older American Girl you can literally feel the quality difference in their vinyl. It's like feeling the difference in cashmere compared to wool. You can look at their hair. The Target doll's hair is rooted where American Girl dolls have wigs on. Yes, I am biased overall I like the way the American Girl's look aesthetically more so than the Our Generation and My Life dolls. Some other brands are cuter than OG. I like the Madame Alexander line and the Play Wonder line. Even the Journey Girls tend to be cute and fashionable. I guess it's all in what you prefer isn't it though? American Girl is what I grew up with. American Girl is just as much part of my childhood as the Cabbage Patch craze of the 80's... Yes, I still have my first Cabbage Patch doll too.

Here is an example of three different brands of dolls. Skylar didn't start wanting 18 inch dolls until she was 9 years old. She knew if she ever ever couldn't take care of one I wouldn't let her have one so she took care of most of her dolls. Can you see the difference in their hair? Yes all three haven't been brushed before I took this picture so there was no favoritism toward the American Girl brand.  My Pleasant Company 20ish year old Samantha still has her curls. I was hesitant about when Skylar should get her first AG because I knew the vinyl could be delicate. It can get rub marks and bruising. Since she started with her first American Girl which I got off of Craigslist for $60 thankfully none of them have incurred major damage at her hands. Not many are scuffed, abused, or maimed. One of my best friends whose daughter had one long before Skylar told me they are so delicate but I haven't had that issue myself with the American Girl brand. I have seen a lot of abused American Girl dolls but none have incurred abuse under my watch.  

In my opinion (completely of my opinion) we come from a disposable society of disposable diapers, TV's are cheaper to replace than repair and dolls are no exception. $30 Our Generation dolls once they get makeup on their face, dye transfer from their clothes or matted hair you can simply give them away or throw them in the trash. Then just go to Target and get the newest model. American Girl dolls have a long-standing history of quality, great customer service and great secondary market prices. So, if you pay retail for an American Girl and take decent care of her you have an 80% chance of reselling her for as much as you paid for her or more. Can you do that with Our Generation? My Life? Or even the Madame Alexander 18 inch dolls? It's not likely you can sell one of those for $100.

Hey I know what's expensive. I know the value of money. I am not rich as a matter of fact I was a widow and a single mother for 4 years living off of welfare and working two jobs supporting my daughter. I have learned the art of bargain shopping due to not having enough money to barely cover groceries or bills much less have an excessive amount like having $100 in my bank account to blow on a doll. I am married now and my husband has a great job and right now I couldn't afford an American Girl from the store.. I have less than $100 in my bank account at this moment. 

We have about 39 dolls and I can probably count on less than my 10 fingers that we paid retail for these dolls. Most were bought below retail. I haven't been the lucky one to find American Girl at a thrift store like Goodwill but I have seen brag posts on the AG groups of those who do. I guess the deal is if you're on a budget or you just really don't see the value in spending retail on a doll you have to change your mindset and realize that their is a jewel in the rough with a doll that may be in your price range. First of all almost any American Girl doll can be repaired at the American Girl doll hospital and they can make her look good as new. Sure sometimes that comes at a cost but depending on the services a inexpensive second hand doll + American Girl Doll hospital visit can still be cheaper than buying her brand new. Or there are plenty of resources on this blog and all over the web on how to make your doll look like a star yourself :)

I got this Josefina for $25 at a yard sale.. I believe the previous owner had posted her for sale in my AG group and had her out at the yard sale the next morning. I traveled 30-40 minutes to the yard sale and grabbed her up. She has had her hand chewed off by some shameful puppy more than likely but I ordered her a replacement part on Ebay and I have watched a youtube video on how to replace limbs (link here). Her outfit is just missing her undies she even has her hair bows in. She's gorgeous otherwise and now my husband's favorite doll. So Total cost for Josefina is $40

This is a Just Like you doll from the 90's I believe and she came with extra outfits for $25 the only flaw is her silvered eye which is free to fix with AG. We have opted to not fix any silvering eyes unless they are really bad.

Mia and Nicki both go for well over $100 on Ebay each as they are archived and have been for some time. I got them for $60 with extra stuff for BOTH. Both were nude but I have Mia's full outfit anyways. Nicki's meet I am still working on as it hasn't been a priority I like her Gala Outfit better and I completed that outfit :)

I bought this Just Like you fairly cheap under $50 and just had to replace her wig as she had a haircut. I bought her original wig from the AG Facebook groups and I plan to glue it down myself. Good as new :)

If you're diligent and look (or even ask) on Craigslist, yard sale groups or the AG Boards you can find a good deal but seeing a doll with a scuff, ink mark on their limbs, loose or broken limbs, a bad wig or whatever see the beauty underneath and a few inexpensive repairs she can still be cherished by your little girl. 

Its true American Girl quality isn't what it used to be. It's still top rated as the company is still trying to survive in these hard times and people who think $100 is too much for a doll. An American Girl doll is meant to be played with from the time your daughter is a child and then passed down to her child and grandchild as I have several dolls over 20 years old and still in really beautiful condition. Price is really not the thing here. I buy Mattel Barbies for my daughter that aren't necessarily cared for like her American Girl that her brother now dunked in the tub numerous times and their hair is still relatively nice. a $12 Barbie you can get anywhere. So I don't think price is necessarily the issue.

So why chose American Girl?  1) Educational, 2) It could be an heirloom and an investment 3) an experience -going to the store 4) the dolls (GOTY and Historical) encounter challenges they overcome 5) quality 6) wholesome you won't find really skanky clothes on them 7) Equality 8) body self image... AND the doll hospital is available for all their repairs. Our Generation doesn't have a doll hospital because they are cheap enough to dispose of...

Here are some resources that may help you choose which brand to go with..

http://www.ebay.com/gds/American-Girl-vs-Generics-a-Moms-Saving-Guide-/10000000012463697/g.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkPRm45x1oc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKGlmW1ROcg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQl9gIH-4ao&t=20s

https://meandyouandmaddiemoo.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/our-genereation-journey-girls-american-girl-doll-comparison/

http://nevergrowupdollguide.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-doll-comparison-post.html

http://simplycleanliving.blogspot.com/2013/02/american-girl-doll-versus-generic-is-it.html